PCB & PCBA Manufacturer
Rigid Flex PCB Fabrication – Quick Turn & Quick Turn & High Mix
Time is critical in product development. Rigid flex PCBs are more complex than standard rigid boards, requiring longer fabrication lead times – typically 15-20 days for prototypes from many manufacturers.
We offer accelerated rigid flex PCB fabrication with quick turn options for prototypes and pilot runs, plus high mix capability to combine multiple designs on a single panel – reducing cost and lead time for small batches.
What Quick Turn & High Mix Means for Rigid Flex
| Service Feature | What It Means | Benefit to You |
|---|---|---|
| Quick turn (10-12 days) | Expedited fabrication for prototypes | Get boards faster for design validation |
| High mix capability | Multiple designs on one panel | Lower cost for prototype batches |
| Express (7-8 days) | Emergency service (limited complexity) | Meet critical deadlines |
| Expedited DFM | 24-hour engineering review | Faster design feedback |
| Flexible scheduling | Accommodate urgent iterations | No waiting for next production slot |
Rigid Flex vs. Rigid PCB – Lead Time Comparison
| Product Type | Standard Lead Time | Quick Turn Lead Time |
|---|---|---|
| Rigid PCB (2-4 layer) | 5-7 days | 3-5 days |
| Rigid PCB (6-8 layer) | 7-10 days | 5-7 days |
| Rigid Flex (1-2 flex layers, 2-4 rigid) | 15-20 days | 10-12 days |
| Rigid Flex (2-4 flex layers, 6+ rigid) | 18-25 days | 12-15 days |
Rigid flex inherently takes longer than rigid PCB due to additional lamination cycles, coverlay application, and flex material handling. Our quick turn service minimizes this gap.
Quick Turn Service Levels
| Service Level | Lead Time (working days) | Best For | Complexity Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 15-20 days | Non-urgent production | Any |
| Quick turn | 10-12 days | Prototypes, urgent pilots | Up to 2 flex layers, 6 rigid layers |
| Express | 7-8 days | Emergency prototypes | Up to 1 flex layer, 4 rigid layers |
| Emergency | 5-6 days (contact us) | Critical deadlines | Very limited (call to confirm) |
High Mix Capability – Prototype Batch Efficiency
The problem: Ordering 5-20 pieces of rigid flex PCBs is expensive because setup costs (panelization, tooling) are spread over few boards.
Our solution – High Mix Panel: Combine multiple different rigid flex designs on the same fabrication panel.
| Approach | Panel Utilization | Cost per Design | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (one design per panel) | 1 design per panel | Highest | High volume production |
| High mix (multiple designs per panel) | 5-20 designs per panel | Lowest per design | Prototypes, small batches |
Example: Need 5 pieces each of 4 different rigid flex designs?
| Approach | Panels Needed | Total Cost | Lead Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (separate panels) | 4 panels | Highest | Separate runs |
| High mix (combined panel) | 1 panel | 50-70% lower | Single run |
High mix is ideal for prototyping multiple design variations or running small batches of different products.
High Mix Panel – How It Works
| Step | What Happens |
|---|---|
| 1. You submit multiple designs | Up to 20 different Gerber files |
| 2. We panelize together | All designs on one master panel |
| 3. Single fabrication run | All boards processed together |
| 4. Individual routing | Each design routed out separately |
| 5. Electrical test (per design) | Tested individually |
Requirements for high mix: Same layer count, same stackup, same material, same finish for all designs on the same panel.
Quick Turn – What’s Included
| Feature | Standard | Quick Turn | Express |
|---|---|---|---|
| DFM review | 2-3 days | 24 hours | 12 hours |
| Material procurement | Standard | Expedited | Same-day |
| Fabrication priority | Normal | High priority | Highest priority |
| Inspection | Standard | Expedited | Expedited |
| Electrical test | Included | Included | Included |
| Cost premium vs. standard | Baseline | +30-50% | +60-100% |
Rigid Flex Quick Turn – Design Considerations
| Factor | Standard Fabrication | Quick Turn (Faster) |
|---|---|---|
| Flex layer count | 1-4 layers | 1-2 layers (max for quick turn) |
| Rigid layer count | 2-12 layers | 2-6 layers (max for quick turn) |
| Board size | Any | < 200mm x 200mm (for fastest turn) |
| Bend radius | Any | > 5mm (simpler = faster) |
| Material | Any FR4/polyimide | Stock materials only |
| Surface finish | Any | ENIG or HASL only |
| Stiffeners | Yes | Limited (adds 2-3 days) |
| EMI shielding | Yes | Not for quick turn (adds time) |
For fastest quick turn:
1 flex layer + 2-4 rigid layers
Board size under 150mm x 150mm
No stiffeners
No EMI shielding
Stock materials (standard FR4, standard polyimide)
Rigid Flex Fabrication Process – Quick Turn Flow
| Step | Standard (days) | Quick Turn (days) |
|---|---|---|
| DFM review | 2-3 | 1 |
| Material prep | 1-2 | 0.5 |
| Flex layer fabrication | 2-3 | 1-2 |
| Rigid layer fabrication | 2-3 | 1-2 |
| Lamination (flex + rigid) | 2-3 | 1-2 |
| Drilling | 1-2 | 0.5 |
| Plating | 1-2 | 1 |
| Coverlay / solder mask | 1-2 | 1 |
| Surface finish | 1 | 0.5 |
| Routing / profiling | 1 | 0.5 |
| Electrical test | 1 | 0.5 |
| Inspection | 1 | 0.5 |
| Total (working days) | 15-20 | 10-12 |
Applications Benefiting from Quick Turn Rigid Flex
| Application | Why Quick Turn Matters |
|---|---|
| Medical device prototyping | Regulatory submissions require working hardware on deadline |
| Wearable development | Multiple design iterations to fit body contours |
| Aerospace / defense | Urgent system updates or repairs |
| Industrial control | Production line downtime needs quick replacement |
| Consumer electronics | Competitive market – time to market critical |
| Automotive | Vehicle development cycles are fixed |
Why Choose Us for Quick Turn Rigid Flex Fabrication?
| Feature | What You Get |
|---|---|
| 10-12 day quick turn | vs. industry standard 15-20 days |
| High mix capability | Combine multiple designs – lower prototype cost |
| Expedited DFM | 24-hour engineering review |
| No MOQ for prototypes | Order as few as 5 pieces |
| Stock materials ready | FR4, polyimide, RA copper in inventory |
| ISO9001 certified | Quality even on fast turn |
| Engineering support | Bend radius, stackup analysis |
Order Process for Quick Turn Rigid Flex
Submit Gerber files – specify “Quick Turn” or “Express”
Expedited DFM review – 24 hours (rigid flex)
High mix paneling (if multiple designs) – we combine
Receive quotation – includes quick turn premium
Confirm and pay – production starts immediately
Accelerated fabrication – 10-12 days
100% electrical test
Overnight shipping (optional)
Need rigid flex boards faster than 10 days? Contact us for express (7-8 day) availability. Limited complexity.
